by Shani FriedmanDietetic Intern
Though I am a dietetic intern, I’m also a chocoholic. To me, it doesn’t
get any better than chocolate. It’s just one of those things I cannot
resist and can’t get enough of. You probably know that chocolate is
high in sugar and fat, and therefore is not the healthiest food in the
world. However, recent research suggests that chocolate may benefit
health by reducing risk for heart disease and depression. In
moderation, most of us can enjoy this sweet treat.

Chocolate is made out of the seed of the tropical cacao tree commonly
grown in South America and Africa near the equator. The seeds of the
cacao tree are, in fact, bitter and must be fermented to develop their
sweet taste. Chocolate is composed of two main ingredients: cocoa
solids and cocoa butter. Cocoa solids are what we know as cocoa powder.
It is what provides the characteristic color and flavor of chocolate as
we know it. Cocoa butter is a vegetable fat that is extracted from the
cocoa bean, and it is what provides the smoothness to the chocolate.

Chocolate can be classified into different categories based on the type and amount of ingredients they contain:

Dark
Chocolate—pure and unsweetened, commonly used for baking, and made
primarily from varying ratios of cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Made
with very little or no milk, it must contain at least 35 percent cocoa
solids. Good quality chocolate may contain 60 percent to 85 percent
cocoa solids. The higher the cocoa solids content, the more bitter it
will taste; but the less cocoa butter and sugar make it health
preferable.

Milk
Chocolate—a sweeter chocolate commonly used in candy bars, and made of
10 percent to 20 percent cocoa solids and butter with more than 12
percent milk solids.

White
Chocolate—used mostly in mousse and other desserts, contains minimal to
no amounts of cocoa solids. Primarily composed of cocoa butter, milk,
sugar, an emulsifier, and other flavorings. In some countries, white
chocolate cannot be called chocolate due to the low content of cocoa
solids. (This is not healthy.)

Studies
on the benefits of consuming cocoa and dark chocolate highlight the
link to the large amount of flavanoids, a form of antioxidants, which
are found in chocolate. Chocolate containing high amounts of cocoa
solids has the most flavanoids and helps reduce blood pressure,
therefore reducing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Chocolate
containing the highest concentration of cocoa solids are the most
health beneficial among the chocolates. (Go for a dark chocolate with
at least 60 percent cocoa solids.)

Phenylethylamine also is a natural compound found in chocolate. It has
slight antidepressant and stimulant properties similar to the body’s
own hormones dopamine and adrenaline. When these hormones are elevated,
your mood improves, lending credibility to the “feel good” effect.

Remember, chocolate is high in calories and shouldn’t be considered a
health food. But if you choose a version high in cocoa solids and
consume it in moderate amounts, chocolate actually can be good for you.

Friday, June 19, 2009

The
Catalyst Online is published weekly by the MUSC Office of Public
Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical
University of South Carolina. The Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn,
can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to The Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.